1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording device that records images on both sides of a sheet.
2. Description of Related Art
Known inkjet printers have a duplex printing function for recording images on both sides of a recording sheet. Known inkjet printers discharge ink onto the recording sheet from a recording head when the recording sheet is conveyed along a conveying path. This causes an image to be recorded on one side of the recording sheet. Then the recording sheet is conveyed in the reverse direction, is flipped over, and is conveyed to an upstream side of the recording head in the conveying path. When the recording sheet passes the recording head, an image is recorded on the other side of the recording sheet. Then, the recording sheet having the image recorded on the other side is discharged to a discharge tray from the conveying path.
A known image recording device, e.g., the known image recording device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-327793, is provided with a feed roller at an end of an arm that is swingable in a direction in which it moves closer to or away from a feed tray. Recording sheets held in the feed tray are fed one at a time to a U-turn conveying path when the feed roller is rotationally driven while being in contact with the recording sheets. The recording sheet is fed to a straight conveying path through the U-turn conveying path.
From its trailing edge, the recording sheet having the image recorded on one side is guided to a location. A driven roller that comes into contact with and separates from the feed roller is disposed above the feed roller. The feed roller and the driven roller are rotationally driven while they nip the recording sheet, which is guided by a reverse feed path disposed above the swingable arm, to the location. This causes the recording sheet to be fed to the U-turn conveying path. An image is recorded on the other side of the recording sheet when it passes the recording head in the conveying path. Then, the recording sheet having the image recorded on the other side is discharged to a discharge tray.
In another known image recording device, e.g., the image recording device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-226053, a structure in which a recording sheet having an image recorded on one side is conveyed in a reverse direction to a feed tray, and is fed again to a conveying path by a feed roller. In the feed tray, a placement plate where recording sheets are placed is biased upward by a coil spring. Therefore, the recording sheets held in the feed tray are pressed by the feed roller disposed above the feed tray. In this state, the feed roller is rotationally driven, causing the uppermost recording sheet to be fed from the feed tray to the conveying path.
An image is recorded on one side of the recording sheet when the recording sheet is conveyed along the conveying path. A downstream side of the recording unit in the conveying path and the feed roller are connected to each other by a reverse feed path. The recording sheet having the image recorded on one side is guided to the reverse feed path and is fed to a location between the feed tray and the feed roller. An image is recorded on the other side of the recording sheet fed again to the conveying path, when the recording sheet passes the recording unit. Then, the recording sheet having the images recorded on both sides is discharged to a discharge tray.
In a known inkjet recording device, the recording sheet having the image recorded on one side is conveyed in the reverse direction, such that the sheet returns to the location between the feed roller at an end of the swingable arm and the driven roller, which is disposed above the feed roller. Therefore, the height of the inkjet recording device may increase.
In another known inkjet recording device, the recording sheet having the image recorded on one side is conveyed in the reverse direction such that the sheet returns to the feed tray. Therefore, the recording sheet in the feed tray may be fed along with the sheet conveyed in the reverse direction. In addition, since the feed roller contacts one side of the recording sheet on which the image is recorded when again feeding the recording sheet to the conveying path, ink or toner may adhere to the feed roller from the recording sheet to be fed again.